Temperature regulating and stirring device



Nov. 7, 1933. w. A. ROLSTON TEMPERATURE REGULATING AND STIRRING DEVICE Filed May 26;

1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l attorneys.

w. A. ROLSTON 1,934,006

Filed May 26, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MN N xw n AI. 5: Q W==$$ E w: 1x m. y 5 J QN Tu N 2 m b N n Ill .IH MN QN A Nov. 7, 1933.

' TEMPERATURE REGULATING AND STIRRING DEVICE Zinventor attorney Nov. F

TEWEERATURE REGULALIING AND STHRIFJENG DEWGE Relation, Francisco, Guha Application May 26, 1931, Serial No. %,154,

inCuba 3 Claims.

.The present invention relates to improvements in temperature regulating and stirring devices, and has for an object to provide an improved device for use more particularly in the sugar industry for regulating the temperature and conttinuously stirring products known as masse cui es.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved device which will maintain such 31o products in motion by stirring and at the same time regulating the temperature of the products in either a descending or ascending scale.

A further object of the invention consists in simplifying the mechanical details of the mechanical stirrer whereby certain important results are secured, as hereinafter described.

With the forefoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed 20 out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved temperature regulating and stirring device.

Figure 2 is an end elevation as seen from the left of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged central vertical section taken along the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the device is in the form of what is known in the sugar industry as a crystallizer and involves the container 10 which may be of a substantially cylindrical cross section supported upon the cradles 11 and having the open top 12. At one 40 end of the device, as shown in Figure 3, is a discharge opening 13 which may or may not be provided with a door, as indicated.

Within the receiver to isarotating element or coil which is made up of straight or approximately. straight tubes 14 extending longitudinally within the receptacle and being rigidly fastened to angle iron or other supports 15. The angle iron supports are volute, as indicated in Figures 4 and 5, and they support the longitudinal tubes 14, which preferably extend in two coils, the ends of which are connected by elbows 16 at one end and elbows 17 at the other end. The coils are also arranged in volute formation, as indicated in Figures 4 and 5.

The supports are carried by radial arms 18 Jilly 1 .4, 19%

which are secured to the central shaft 19. The shaft is preferably of a square cross section intermediate its ends. The end portions are formed into externally round trunnions 20, which are hollow, as indicated at 21, and which an fit within the bearings and stuffing boxes. indi cated at 22, the latter being mounted in the end walls of the tank or receiver 10.

It will be noted that the coil is entirely sup ported from the end trunnions 20 and that 5 there are no intermediate supports necessary or provided, but the rigid squirrel cage assembly constitutes a unitary whole which is self-supporting and eliminates the necessity for any intermediate supports or bearings of any kind.

As a matter of fact, the rigidity of the as-- sembled element is greater than that of-the central shaft alone and the deflection of the shaft out of true axial alignment will be less by rea-= son of the mounting thereon of the arms, angle iron supports and the pipe coils. The outer end portions of the pipe coils 14 are connected with the hollow chamber 21 within one trunnion by the radial pipes 23. At the other end of the coils, the innermost portions of such coils 39 are connected with the hollow chamber within the opposite trunnion by the pipe sections 24.

In Figure 1 is shown an inlet pipe 25 for conveying heating or cooling fluid .or liquid into the hollow trunnion at one end, and at the other 35 end of the shaft is an outlet pipe 26 for such liquid or fluid after it is passed through the coil. The number of sections or sub-divisions of the unit or coil may be varied in accordance with conditionsand the desires of theuser.

To the ends of the radial arms 18 around the outside of the rotating element, as shown in Figure 3, 4 and 5, are secured the spiral blades 27. The object of these blades is to effect the complete evacuationof the material from the tank or container 10through the discharge opening 13. It will be understood that the connections 25 and 26 will be flexible and at the same time allow for the rotation of the shaft.

This rotation of the shaft may be performed in any suitable manner. I have shown a worm wheel 28 mounted'upon the shaft 19 and as disposed in mesh with a worm 29, which is driven from any appropriate source of power.

In the use of the device, the material or masse cuite is introduced into the container 10 up to an appropriate level and liquid, gas, vapor or fluid employed for temperature control of the masse is circulated through the connection 25. to the coil, and removed through the opposite connection Such fluid will pass through the pipe coils, which pipe coils are mounted in two overlapping volute sections, as indicated more particularly in Figures 4 and 5. The temperature of the masse may thus be regulated by circulating either hot or cold fluid through the coils. At the same time the heating or cooling may be accelerated or retarded at will owing to the stirring or agitating to which the mama is subjected by the motion of the coil.

It will be noted that no thrust bearing is reuired, the design and construction oi the device being such that all thrust is eliminated, except that involving the blades 2? which is negligible.

The elimination of intermediate supports permits the use of straight tubes the entire length of the vessel, and the entire unit is self-supporting between the end bearings.

The device may be applied to existing crystallmers without entailing any modification therein, and the device may be equally well adapted for the treatment or" any product.

It will be obvious that various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts could be made, which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details, except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters latent of the United States is:-

l. A device for stirring and regulating the temperature of material to be treated, comprising a receptacle open at the top for receiving the material and having a discharge opening at one end, a shaft mounted lengthwise in the receptacle and journalled at its opposite ends through the end walls of the receptacle and provided at said opposite ends with axial inlet and outlet openings, spiders mounted on the shaft and spaced apart lengthwise thereof, a spiral feeding blade mounted on the spiders and adapted to advance the material toward said discharge opening, volute supports mounted on neeaoos said spiders within the spiral blade, lengthwise extending coils mounted on the supports and connected at their opposite ends to said inlet and outlet openings of the shaft, said shaft adapted to turn with said spiders, supports, coils and spiral blades thereon and said coils adapted to receive a temperature regulating fluid therethrough for maintaining the material being mixed at the desired temperature.

2. A mixing and temperature regulating device, comprising an elongated receptacle open at its top to receive material and having a discharge opening at one end, a rotary combined mixing, feeding and temperature maintaining device disposed lengthwise in the receptacle and including a rotatable shaft extending through the opposite ends of the receptacle, a plurality of coils disposed lengthwise of and in spaced relation about the shaft, supports carried by the shaft and engaging said coils, and a spiral blade mounted on said supports about said coils, said coils connected at opposite ends through said shaft with a source of supply of a temperature controlling medium.

3. A temperature regulating and mixing device, comprising a receptacle for materials, a shaft mounted in the receptacle and having hollow end portions engaging through the opposite ends of the receptacle, supports mounted on said shaft, coils mounted on the supports and comprising straight pipe portions extending substantially parallel to the shaft and in spaced relation thereabout and connected at opposite ends with curved portions to complete the coils, said coils connected at one end to the intake hollow end of the shaft and connected at their other ends to the outlet hollow end of the shaft, and a spiral blade mounted about the coils and on said supports for advancing the material toward the discharge opening, said spiral blade and said straight pipes of the coils comprising mixing elements adapted to engage the material and mix the same during advancement of the material by said spiralblade.

"WILLIME AIRTH ROLSTON. 

